New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Over 5.26 lakh panchayati raj representatives, elected members and officials have participated in 1,338 ‘Panch Sammelans’ organised across the country to familiarise them with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, the Rural Development Ministry said on Monday.
The district-level conferences are part of the Centre’s efforts to prepare panchayati raj institutions for implementation of the new rural employment framework and explain to their representatives and functionaries their roles and responsibilities under the Act.
As many as 23 states and Union territories have completed their scheduled ‘Panch Sammelans’, the ministry said.
The conferences have focused on provisions of the Act relating to the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan (VGPP), rural employment guarantee cards, creation of assets, convergence, social audit and grievance redressal.
Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal have also organised the conferences at administrative levels beyond the district level to reach a larger number of panchayati raj representatives and functionaries, it said.
The ministry said the VB-G RAM G Act puts gram panchayats at the centre of rural development, giving them responsibilities relating to planning, implementation, monitoring, transparency and social accountability.
Alongside the orientation exercise, the government is working to complete e-KYC of active workers as part of the transition to the new system.
According to the ministry, 10.27 crore of the 10.84 crore active workers have completed e-KYC, taking the coverage to nearly 95 per cent. Overall, 15.89 crore workers have completed e-KYC.
The ministry said e-KYC is an identity-authentication process intended to keep the worker database accurate and up to date and is not a prerequisite for obtaining employment.
It also said all workers registered under MGNREGA have been migrated to VB-G RAM G, irrespective of whether their e-KYC has been completed.
“Pending e-KYC does not stop a worker from demanding or receiving employment,” the ministry said, adding that around 2.11 crore workers have already been offered employment.
It added that the Centre is monitoring and supporting states and UTs to complete e-KYC of the remaining active workers and ensure a smooth transition to VB-G RAM G. PTI AO NB NB
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